Production of petroleum



April 20, 1943. J. L. PoRTE ETAL 2,317,219

PRODUCTION OF PETROLEUM Filed July 16, 1940 I a 0-1- I 6 v I z I I I r I [r61 /0 /,I

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aggfrwpg R Fun/t ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 20, 1943 PRODUCTION OF PETROLEUM John L. Porter and Irving R. Funk, Long Beach, Calif., assignors to Richfield Oil Corporation, a

corporation of Delaware Application July 16-, 1940, SerialNo. 345,730

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the production of petroleum from pumping wells. The invention provides an improved device for separating the fluids entering the well from the producing strata into gas and liquid components at the bottom of the well and prior to pumping of the liquid component from the well. The invention includes the improved gas anchor and an improved gas anchor and pump assembly.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a device embodying the invention. In the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation partially in section of a part of the lower end of a-string of casing in which is positioned a gas anchor and pump assembly embodying the invention, and Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Figure l.

The lower end of the casing ,3 extends into the producing strata, this casing being cemented in the well bore at a point just above the producing strata. the producing strata flow upwardly through the casing into the lower end of the nipple 4. The lower end of this nipple 4 is adapted to receive a packing ring 5 by means of which it is sealed in the casing so that the fluids flowing upwardly through the casing must flow through the nipple.

Direct passage of fluids through the nipple 4 is prevented by a partition 6. The lower ends of tubes 1 open through the wall of the nipple 4 below the pertitionfi. The upper ends of these fluids flowing from the nipple 4 through these tubes 7. The upper end of the nipple 4 is secured to and opens into the intake port of a pump chamber 9. Openings H] are provided through the wall of the nipple 4 above the partition 6. Another nipple H is secured to and opens into the discharge port of the pump chamber 9. This nipple is in turn secured to the lower end of the string of tubing l2 through which the pump discharge is carried to the surface. The upper ends of the tubes 1 are secured to the nipple H, for example by welding as indicated at l3. The assembly, nipples 4 and II, pump chamber 9 and tubes 1, is arranged so that it can be lowered through the well casing 3 to operating position at the lower end of the well casing and removed through the casing as occasion requires. The axes of the tubes '1 are generally parallel to the axis of the nipples and the pump chamber.

Any appropriate pump mechanism may be arranged in the pump chamber 9. The particular type of pump used is not essential to the invention. For example, pump mechanism may be of The fluids entering the casing from .30 tubes are ported, at 8, for lateral discharge of 'ponent and a liquid component.

the reciprocating type operated from the surface from a sucker rod 14 or it may be a centrifugal type operated by an electric motor arranged in the pump chamber with the pump rotor and powered from. the surface by a cable extending through the tubing or through the casing.

The gas anchor of the invention comprises the nipple 4, adapted to receive the packing ring 5, the partition 6, the openings I0 and the tubes 1. The gas anchor and pump assembly of the invention comprises these same parts and the pump chamber 9 and nipple ll, nipple 4 being secured to the lower end of the pump chamber and nipple H being secured to the upper end of the pump chamber and the upper ends of the tubes 1. The number and size of the tubes 7, the size of the ports 8, and the number and size of the openings ii] may be varied to meet the requirements of particular installations. The facility with which these changes may be made makes the device easily adjustable to meet a wide range of operating conditions.

The ports 8 are with advantage positioned so that the fluids entering the annular space within the casing 3 will give .a whirling motion as discharged through these ports to promote separation of the discharged fluids into a gas com- This is effected by arranging the ports 8 so that the discharged fluids move in a direction generally tangent to the walls of the nipples 4 and H and the pump chamber 9 as they leave the ports.

.In operation, the fluids entering the lower end of casing 3 from the producing strata flow upwardly through the casing to the packing ring 5, thence through the nipple 4 to the partition 6, thence through the tubes 1 to the ports 8 through which the fluids are discharged into the casing above the packing ring 5. Upon discharge through the ports 8, the fluids separate into a gas component and a liquid component. The gas component flows t0 the surface through the casing 3. The separated liquid component collects in the space within the casing immedately above the packing ring 5 and is withdrawn through the openings ID to be forced to the surface through tubing I2 by means of the pump mechanism in the pump chamber 9. The tubes 1 are made long enough to provide a space within the casing and immediately above the packing ring deep enough to insure regular flow of separated liquid into the lower end of the pump chamber,

The improved gas anchor of the invention is simple, sturdy and inexpensive. It is easily assembled on the lower end of a string of tubing and can be moved through a string of casing, for installation or removal, without difficulty. In practice, it has been found unusually efficient in "bottom hole separation of gas and liquid prior to pumping of the separated liquid.

We claim:

1. A gas anchor for pumping Wells comprising a nipple, a, packing ring surrounding the exterior of the lower portion of the nipple, the upper end of the nipple being adapted to be secured to the intake port of a pump chamber, a partition within the nipple above the packing ring to prevent direct passage of fluids through the nipple, a tube positioned with its wall and principal axis outside the wall of the nipple and with itsprincipal axis generally parallel to that of the nipple, the lower end of said tube communicating with the interior of the nipple below the partition and above the packing ring, the upper end of the tube extending a substantial distance above the partition and being ported for lateral discharge of fluids from the tube into the space exterior of an extension of the nipple, the wall of the nipple being provided with an opening above the partition.

2. A gas anchor for pumping wells comprising a nipple, a packing ring surrounding the exterior of the lower portion of the nipple, the upper end of the nipple being adapted to be secured to the intake port of a pump chamber, a partition within the nipple above the packing ring to prevent direct passage of fluids through the nipple, a plurality of tubes each positioned with its wall and its principal axis outside of the wall of the nipple and with its principal axis generally parallel to that of the nipple, the lower end of each tube communicating with the interior of the nipple below the partition and above the packing ring, the upper end of each tube extending a substantial distance above the partition and being ported for lateral discharge of fluids from the tube into the space exterior of an extension of said nipple, the nipple being provided with a plurality of openings above the partition.

3. A gas anchor for pumping wells comprising a nipple, a packing ring surrounding the exterior of the lower portion of the nipple, the upper end of the nipple being adapted to be secured to the intake port of a pump chamber, a partition within the nipple above the packing ring to prevent direct passage of fluids through the nipple, a tube positioned with its wall and principal axis outside the wall of the nipple and with its principal axis generally parallel to that of the nipple, the lower end of said tube communicating with the interior of the nipple below the partition and above the packing ring, the upper end of the tube extending a substantial distance above the partition and being ported for lateral discharge of fluids from the tube into the space exterior of an extension of the nipple and in a direction generally tangent to the wall of the nipple, the nipple being provided with an opening above the partition.

4. A gas anchor and pump assembly for pumping wells comprising a pump chamber, a nipple secured to the upper end of the pump chamber, a nipple secured to and communicating with the lower end of the pump chamber, a packing ring surrounding the lower portion of the lower nipple, a partition within the lower nipple above the packing ring to prevent direct passage through the nipple, a tube positioned with its wall and principal axis outside the wall of the nipple and with its principal axis parallel to that of the nipples and the pump chamber, the lower end of the tube communicating with the lower nipple below the partition and above the packing ring, the upper end of the tube being ported for lateral discharge of fluids from the tube into the space exterior of the upper nipple and being secured to the upper nipple, the lower nipple being provided with an opening above the partition.

5. A gas anchor and pump assembly for pumping wells comprising a pump chamber, a nipple secured to the upper end of the pump chamber, a nipple secured to and communicating with the lower end of the pump chamber, a packing ring surrounding the exterior of the lower portion of the lower nipple, a partition within the lower nipple to prevent direct passage through it, a tube positioned with its wall and principal axis outside of the walls of the nipples and with its principal axis generally parallel to that of the nipples and the pump chamber, the lower end of the tube opening through the wall of the lower nipple below the partition and above the packing ring, the upper end'of the tube being ported for lateral discharge of fluids from the tube into the space exterior of the upper nipple in a direction generally tangent to the walls of the nipples and being secured to the upper nipple, the lower nipple being provided with an opening above the partition.

JOHN L. PORTER. IRVING R. FUNK. 

